We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark “Mach Keys” Collantes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark “Mach Keys”, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
There’s a business behind everything. And if I want to become successful in doing what I love and passionate about, then I should know how to run it as a business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a creative first, and businessman second.

My love to create things out of nothing. To see things forward until it’s conceived into reality. That’s what keeps me driven. Seeing whether or not something will work out, then figuring out how to improvise on it.

I love the fact that I have an extensive amount of experience dealing with different kinds of companies with different fields and backgrounds. I used to only know and focus on music, but couldn’t relate to anyone outside of it. Since spending the past 4-5 years away from music, and helping others in different fields, it’s widened my outlook in my business approaches as well as serves as common grounds for me and others around me now. Because I’ve been exposed to different businesses, I now get inspired more to seek how to help others create their passions into businesses of their own.

I’ve learned that there’s no real right or wrong way to go about your business. You can have it run however you like, but every business has fundamentals and regulations we must learn to follow as we set our grounds. And before even finalizing anything, we can always experiment first, before a full send.

“Mach Keys” is my personal brand revolving around music. “Full Court Visions” is my umbrella brand that lines up with everything else I get involved with at full spectrum.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Within a week’s time.. we would checkout music (Guitar Center, Sam Ash) and streetwear (Rif OC, Bait, Melrose Blvd) stores, dine at various foodie spots (Kaiba, Original Thai Bbq, etc), checkout the beaches around Huntington / Newport / Venice / etc.

We would play basketball at an indoor gym and/or outside at a local park. Visit artsy / streetwear / musical museums and events.

Get in at least 1-2 studio sessions to come up with however many songs or beats we can within the time.

And on some downtime, playing video games, watch a movie, or go to Round 1 and K1 Speed Zone.

All meanwhile having talks about ideas we can experiment and execute on for long-term game.

By the time they gotta leave, we already have things set in motion, and will keep in touch frequently to regroup and keep progressing our creations.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
To those who’ve helped me get started in my profession/s: Justin Nucum for being my venture brother in multiple occasions since we were young. Tito Benjie, MixedbyMike (San Diego), and Kuya Bryant (ACWC Fellowship) in learning studio and music production basics, song structures, and band instrumentations. and rest of my family for the support and backbone they’ve been for me.

Los Angeles Recording School for setting my fundamentals and helping me see doing music as a passionate professional career path.

Those that have helped me acquire my initial industry experiences and allowed me to shadow their processes – Prince Chrishan and Kyle Christopher, D’Mile and John Kercy, The Stereotypes and the Short Bus team.

Those that helped me get back to the scene after a long hiatus away from music: Coach J Hatch for shaping me in preparations during the covid lockdown, my bros at Knockhouse Studios for giving me a shot to do what I do in all aspects possible and setting the tone for me with the rest of my growing newfound music network and community.

And for everyone that’s ever invested into themselves with me and my services or goods. Thank you for believing in me, and giving me the opportunity to take your projects to the fullest levels.

Everyone that’s ever interacted with me, shared game, hired me, shared life moments with me.. it all means alot embarking this pursuit of happiness together.

Website: machkeys.com | fullcourtvisions.com

Instagram: @machkeys | @fullcourtvisions

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcollantes/

Other: https://lnk.bio/machkeys

Image Credits
Luis Carino (@voyager.iii)

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